Container and closure structure



Nov. 28, 1944; w. H. ROBIINSON 2,363,693

CDNTAINER AND CLOSURE STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 8, 1941 INVENTOR WilliamfiRobinson Patented Nov. 28, 1 944 7 UNITE T Q I 7 i reverses,

3 William H. Robin s-on, Limestonewl Va'qassignor' i to Wheeling SteelCorporation; Wheeling; W; Im m-corporation otnelaeware i J Applicationarin s,isiijseriamo. 377,9 sclaims. (01222040) Thisinventiontrelates-tocontainers andclosure '1 structures therefor. 1 Itjwrelatesmore;particularly to "storage and shipping containers and especially suchcontainers made. out; of sheet metal. In

cientlytightsealu a l a I have devised: aacontainer and: closurestruc-.ture which isnthe simplest. and cheapest ofi any I have i seen,; yetwhich provides; foradequate seals I preferably do away entirely withvany inwardly projectings neck so. that when the; container is; beingfilled it, may befille dmrightup tothe rimof thetfillingiopeningmithoutdanger of viewrthrough thee'stnuctune shown inFigure 1;

t h s tal containers of the type in, question 5 spattering due; m air,venting. This makes. it there is provided an opening through which thepossibleto save substantially on. the: amount of container is adapted-tobe: filled and a closurenetal' going into the container, as the height.of for. such opening. spoutis customarily apthe. container? maybereduced by anamount ap tpliedto-the container at theopeningtto-guidethe pro'ximating th'e'height oft theinwardly project:

7 contents ofthecontainer when being-jpoured out. 10 mg. neck which hasheretoiore. customarily been The business of supplying-v containers ofthe employed. In my copending. application Serial type in question;ishighly competitivefland a No.377,9166;fi1edofeyenidateherewithlhavedmcommercially: successful container must be of closed. andclaimed-a container and closurelstrucsufliciently simple; construction.that it can be tureaccomplishingresults similar to those acmade at; lowenough costto meet stiff prioe; complished by the present inventionandwhile competition. Also the-container mHStybe-StIuC- the structureoL-mysaid; copending rapplication turally strong and t particular-ly theclosureefor -h'as advantages-in certain usesithestructurehereithe'iopening t ich the containeris filled indisclosed and claimedis-of even simpler and and ,emptied must effectiveiyseal such openingycheaper design and has otheradvantageswhich under all conditionstowhich thezcontainer may 2 will, Joe-hereinafter pointedout.reasonablylbe subjected inuseez Heretofore 'it has I provide for sealingthe container, opening been the aim of manufacturersto; compromiseagainst the. 'materia1 of the container about the between low cost and'tightsealing; withuthemesult 1 opening and It preierably maintain theclosure that structures of morecomplexity than desired [in 7 place bymeans engaging the materialof the have beenemployedinanattemptttoinsurer a containerattheopeningfl internally of theucontightseal, yet aptight rsealthasnot alwaysgbeen tainer. L prefer tojdeformthe-.m aterial of the thus obtained; in practice; Also diificulty hascontainer-- atrthe; edge Qfihfik opening toforrna been experienced;dueatoy-the-projection-inwardly V reinforcementiand-ztosealvagainst suchreinforce- .ofthecontainerofIa neck surroundingtheopen- ,ment;Preierably the material of the container ing andfwhich has in; manycases been considered atthe opening; is provided with one or more slotsnecessary from-thestructura1standpointito inin-wthe; nature; of bayonet:slots through, which sure'satisfactory sealinglu'I'hisyinwardly'proiectlugs or rams; on the closure mayypass so that ingneck-is highly disadvantageouswhentherconupon turning of the closuretheyfimay engage betainer is. beingsfilledowithi liquid, for wheni the,neath: parts: ofthe reinforced portionsurroundlevel of liquid infith'e;container rises .abover the: 5 ingsthe opening;The;reinforcedoportionsis pref- -lower extremity of 1 the; neck" air isimprisoned 'erably provided intermediateijthe slots with inbetweenthesurface: of; the;liquidwandtthei conolined cam;sunfacesiwithwwhichthelugs on the tainer top whichventsroutz through the filling 'tclosure;cooperates 1A spoutxmay be provided opening in irregular gushes,resulting inispatten which man berheld or; clinched to the container Iing of the liquid over the outside of thevclom- .-40bythematerialzof;the-containerattheopeningi tainer and on anything elsewhich mayvbe lad- O.t-her; details;uobjects: and advantages of; thejacen t the container. Also' the; inwardly proinvention willbecomeiwanparent as the follow: .lecting neck has" materially interf rd-W h ing'descriptionsofs arpresent-preferred:embodiment smooth.pouringout Ofhthfifi contentsaof thee-coir thereofi proceedsi t a atainer; interrupting theaflow and making: difiii- 145* Imt heaccompanying-drawing;Lhave shown a cultaor. impossiblethercontrolledopouring outxof pl-BS8111? preferred embodiment of:thBriHVGDtiQH,

t the: contents inasmooth; compact: stream; "At- .im which i t I temptsto do. away with the inwardlyprojecting Ii -Figure nlzisia fra entary,top plan hviewofv a neck have met with difiicultyi from thee stand- 7storage and: shipping containen; with: thedust .point'of obtainingadequate strength andsazsufiii- $5 0 cap for the spout removed andwith'the closure "plugtspartht cutaway g, t a a Figure 23 is; a central;vertical cross-sectional and; takenon, the-lineIIe-II oft that figurebut strengths and: an eminently satisfactory and tight L with cthe dust.cap: ionthe; spout applied; h and a t i in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an inverted plan view of the closure plug.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown a sheetmetal container designated generally by reference numeral 2. The portionof the container shown is the top thereof adjacent the rim. Thecontainer as a whole may be of standard construction compris ing, forexample,' a cylindrical body having a permanently attached bottom and atop which for purposes of the present invention may also be consideredas permanently attached. In a preferred form the top may comprise whatis generally known in the art as a lug cover or it may be permanentlyseamed to the body. Whatever the precise container structure; the con-ztainer is adapted and intended to be filled.

through the pouring opening.

The top of the container rises to a maximum height indicated byreference numeral 3 and has adjacent the rim at one point a depressedportion 4, as well known in the art. -At such depressed portion 4 thecontainer is provided with a filling and pouringopening designated byreference numeral 5. The material of the container is outwardly andreversely turned about the opening 5 as shown at '6 and has formedtherein an upwardly projecting gasket engaging bead Ga. A sheet metalspout I is provided,

which spout has an opening designated by reference numeral 8 concentricwith the opening5.

The metal of the spout at 9 about the spout I3 of the cap is snappedover the rearward edge I4 of the spout.

The reinforced edge of the material of the container surrounding theopening 5 is formed to provide'three equidistant slots I5 as shown Theseslots as shown are in the nature of bayonet slots, their' inwardlyfacing edges being of materially greater diameter than the-inwardlyfacing edge portions I6 of the material of the container intermediatethe slots. Inwardly of the container the material opposite theedgeportions I6 is formed into cam portions I! having inclined inwardlyfacing cam surfaces I8. 7 i

The opening 5 is adapted to be closed and "sealed by a closure I9,which, as shown, is preferably in thenature of a hollow sheet metal-'plug with a gri'p' portion 20 disposed centrally thereof and weldedthereto.

The closure or plug I9 has a body portion 2| adapted to project slightlyinwardly of the container through the opening 5 and an annular outwardlyextending flange portion 22 adapted to overlie the reinforced portion ofthe container surrounding the opening 5 as shown. A gasket 23 .isinterposed between the reinforced portion of the containersurroundingthe opening and the under surface of the flange 22. The body portion 2Iof the plug I9 is provided with three equally spaced outwardly pressedinclined projections or lugs 24. r

To seal the container the plug I9 has its body portion 2| extendedinwardlythrough the opening 5, this being accomplished by positioningeach of the lugs 24 in alignment axially of the opening with one of theslots I5 and moving or dropping the plug into place toward the interiorof the container. The gasket 23 is normally carried bythe plug and whenthe plug has reached sealing position the gasket lies upon the portionIi of the material of the container. The plug is then turned in theclockwise direction viewing Figure 1 so that the respective lugs 24wedgingly engage beneath the respective inclined surfaces I8.to maintaintheplug tightly in place. The seal is effected at the gasket 23, thetightness of the seal being determined by the twisting force applied tothe plug in turning it as above described.

The outer edge portion of the plug'flange 22 is somewhat raised as shownat 25 to allow an annular sealing member to be positioned thereunderwhereby to provide for sealing the plug in place so that it cannot beremoved without rupturing a sealing member, thus leaving a visibleindication that the container has been opened. Various forms of sealsmay beemployedfthat shown in my copending application Serial No.377,967, filed of even date herewith, being at present preferred. I

The structure above described is exceptionally strong and durable.While'the spot I may be omitted it is desirably employed, first, becauseit enhances the utility of the container and, second, because it furtherstrengthens and stiilens the material of the container about theopening. There is no neck of the'container extending inwardly from theopening and the container may be filled clear up to the level of theopening 5. The. small amount of-the contents which maybe displaced whenthe plug is inserted will cause no difficulty. Doing away with theinwardly projecting neck also provides for more easily controlledpouring. The contents of the container flow out in a smooth unimpededstream.

cost of the container will be appreciated. Thus' I combine into one avery simple and cheap container which has exceptionally strongstructural characteristics and which obviates disadvantages heretoforeinherent in similar structures by reason of an inwardly extending neckat the opening interfering with complete filling of the container andwith proper pouring out of the contents thereof. I am enabled tomaterially reduce the overall height of my container, which means a veryimportant saving in material when it is borne in mind that thesecntainers are made by quantity production methods.

While .I have shown and described a present preferredembodiment of theinvention his to be distinctly understood that the invention is notthrough which it is adapted to be filled, the material of the topsurrounding said opening having its under surfaceextending generallylaterally away from said opening and said material being reverselyturned to provide a reinforced portion completely about. said openingand a closure for said opening having opposed holding and sealingportions cooperating respectively with opposed faces of said reinforcedportion to hold. the closure in place and'seal said opening, the holdingportion being. inclined to the plane of the sealing portion, saidreinforced portion having thereinslot means receiving the holdingportionsaid opening, the material of the container being bent to interlock withthe spout and thus hold it against removal from the container, and aclosure for said opening having means directly engaging said bentportion beneath the same to hold the closure in place.

3. A container having an opening, the material of the container at theopening being turned outwardly and reversely to form a reinforcedportion, said reinforced portion having a plurality of slots formedtherein at the edge of said open and a closure forsaid opening havinglugs adapted to pass through said slots and upon turning of the closureto bear upon the inside of said reinforced portion to hold the closurein place. r

4. A container having an opening, the material of the container at theopening being reversely turned to form a reinforced portion, saidreinforced portion being slotted at the edge of said opening, and aclosure for said opening having means adapted to pass through a slot insaid reinforced portion and upon turning of the closure to bear uponsaidreinforced portion to hold the closure in place and a sealing.portion adapted to cooperate with said reinforced portion to seal saidopening.

5. A container having an opening, "a spout at said opening, the materialof the container at the opening being bent to hold the spout in placeand being slotted and being formed to provide an inclined cam surface ata point offset from a slot, and a closure for said opening having meansadapted to pass through said slot and upon turning of the closure tobear upon said inclined cam surface to hold the closure in place and asealing portion to seal said opening.

the material thereof, such material extending to the edge of the openingand then being turned outwardly axially of the openingand then outwardlygenerally radially of the opening and terminating-generally radiallyoutwardly of the opening, the outwardly turned, portion providing asurface facing generally axially outwardly of the opening, said surfacebeing interrupted at intervals peripherally of the opening to receiveclosure holding means.

7. A container having an opening in its top throughwhich it is adaptedto be filled, the material of the top surrounding said opening havingits under surface extending generally laterally away from said openingand said material being reversely turned to provide a portion ofmultiple thickness completely about said opening and a closure for saidopenin having a holding portion engaging said portion of multiplethickness inwardly of the container when the closure is in place topositively lockthe closure'in place, said portion of multiple thicknesshaving therein slot means receiving the holding portion of the 010-.

sure when the closure is applied to the container.

8. A container having an opening with the material of the containerbeing bent to form a multi-thickness portion at the edge of the openingcompletely surrounding the opening and WILLIAM H. ROBINSON.

6. A container having an opening defined by

